Loss of separation between reporter's aircraft climbing to FL190 and an air carrier B747 at 17000 ft...

Attributes
ACN	396346
Time
Date	199803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gbe
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16400 msl bound upper : 16400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : rjtg
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	396346
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	396442
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Flight was on the bay one departure from kix and had been given clearance to climb and maintain FL190. At 16400 ft and climbing at a rate of approximately 1500 FPM, tokyo control called and said, 'maintain FL160.' the first officer questioned ATC about the newly assigned altitude. ATC confirmed and said, 'descend and maintain FL160 for opposite direction traffic at FL170.' a few seconds after ATC's clearance to FL160 we received a TCASII traffic alert and advisory to climb. TCASII showed our traffic at 12 O'clock position and 400 ft above us. Visual contact was made immediately with the traffic. The captain had already begun the descent to FL160 as assigned and was altering course to the right. We leveled at FL160 as a B747 passed 1 mi to our left and 700 ft above us. ATC should never have cleared us to FL190 with opposite direction traffic so close.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN RPTR'S ACFT CLBING TO FL190 AND AN ACR B747 AT 17000 FT.

Narrative: FLT WAS ON THE BAY ONE DEP FROM KIX AND HAD BEEN GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190. AT 16400 FT AND CLBING AT A RATE OF APPROX 1500 FPM, TOKYO CTL CALLED AND SAID, 'MAINTAIN FL160.' THE FO QUESTIONED ATC ABOUT THE NEWLY ASSIGNED ALT. ATC CONFIRMED AND SAID, 'DSND AND MAINTAIN FL160 FOR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT FL170.' A FEW SECONDS AFTER ATC'S CLRNC TO FL160 WE RECEIVED A TCASII TFC ALERT AND ADVISORY TO CLB. TCASII SHOWED OUR TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND 400 FT ABOVE US. VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE IMMEDIATELY WITH THE TFC. THE CAPT HAD ALREADY BEGUN THE DSCNT TO FL160 AS ASSIGNED AND WAS ALTERING COURSE TO THE R. WE LEVELED AT FL160 AS A B747 PASSED 1 MI TO OUR L AND 700 FT ABOVE US. ATC SHOULD NEVER HAVE CLRED US TO FL190 WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC SO CLOSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.